Semblance of Sanity
by UnoriginalToast
Summary: The Paladins enjoy a day off. Shiro enjoys keeping everyone sane during that day off. Well, as sane as is possible for their weird little family.


_Just a little drabble for the fandom I joined, like, two days ago. It's a little something to get me used to writing the characters, should real inspiration strike me. Also, I adore Space Dad!Shiro. Perhaps next time around, I'll dive a little deeper into Shiro's thoughts. Everything here is written as completely platonic. If you chose to read it otherwise, that's your business, not mine. Enjoy!_

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"Oh for the love of- Come _on!"_ The growled, frustrated cry echoed around the chamber, as a teenage boy in a red and white jacket evaded another attack from the robotic gladiator. He jumped, using the wall for leverage, and flew back at the robot, hoping this time he would be able to land the critical blow. But, yet again, the attack was not strong enough to take down the gladiator, and it pushed back with a force that sent the boy back against the wall.

"Keith! What have I told you? Patience yields focus." Shiro was watching from the top deck, his arms crossed and a worried frown on his face. He was not scared Keith wouldn't be able to beat the gladiator, but he was worried that the boy was losing focus. Keith was a firecracker, and if he didn't learn to control himself, he would be useless in battle.

"I _know_ that Shiro, I just… Ugh!" Keith jumped out of the way again and launched himself at the robot, again missing, and again letting out a frustrated cry.

"Focus!"

"How the hell do I do that _here?!_ " Keith asked, pausing for just a moment to glare up at his mentor, but that was a moment too long, as the gladiator attacked and flung him against the opposite wall. "Dammit, Shiro, just shut up!"

Shiro opened his mouth to shout back, but stopped himself. He was not at all thrilled with letting Keith talk to him like that, but decided to take his own advice and be patient. Maybe he was pressing too hard on him. Keith, pressed against the wall, sighed and took a breath. Patience… Patience….

Focus.

Suddenly, he saw that the gladiator couldn't turn itself around quick enough to defend an attack from behind. So, Keith would just have to outrun it, which he was sure he could do, turn around, and stab!

Keith readied himself and then took off, running as fast as he could in circles around the robot. It seemed pretty confused, and it wasn't long before Keith was in the perfect position to take it down.

Shiro watched with pride as Keith stabbed the robot and it dissolved into a hologram. The boy stood panting in the center and glanced up at his mentor, who gave him a few congratulatory claps. "Good job, Keith. See? Patience."

"And then focus. Got it." Keith said, withdrawing his sword. "I got it. Thanks, Shiro."

"Remember, Keith, if you can't control your emotions, you can't control your power." Keith gave a thumbs up and Shiro exited the chamber as he heard the young boy go for the next level. He thought for a moment that he should tell him not to exert himself so much, but decided that was one lesson Keith would have to learn on his own.

"Shiro! Hey Shiro! Hey man! Shiro, bro! Hey Shiro!" Shiro sighed and steeled himself, trying to take his own advice about the whole patience thing. He then turned around to see Hunk lethargically running over to him. He stopped in front of the older man, put his hands on his knees and panted, before straightening up.

"Yes, Hunk?" Shiro asked, raising an eyebrow. Hunk looked confused for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Oh yeah right! Sorry, man I was wondering if you knew where Pidge was? She was going to help me cook. Well, I guess watch me cook… You know, Pidge has never really helped. She just watches me and then she wants to eat what I cook! Well, sometimes she doesn't. Actually usually she doesn't. What I mean is-"

Shiro, who could only bare so much rambling, interrupted. "Did you check her room?" he asked.

"Nope."

"The lab?"

"Uh-uh."

"... The main deck?"

"No."

Shiro frowned. "Have you looked anywhere, Hunk?" The boy thought for a moment before shaking his head again. "How about you go look for her, and then ask around if anyone's seen her. She's probably in one of those three places, anyway."

"Hey, great idea!" Hunk said. "Sorry, man."

"No problem. Oh and Hunk? Don't go past the kitchen. Wouldn't want to lose your train of thought." Shiro smiled knowingly at him and Hunk grinned sheepishly.

"Another great idea. Thanks!"

Shiro shook his head, though he was slightly amused at the boy's antics. As he walked away, he found himself wondering where the youngest member of the team was. He hadn't seen her all day, since she had skipped breakfast. Though, Coran made the meal and he wished he'd skipped it himself. Even after a few years in space, he never got used to alien food. Nothing could beat a grilled steak, or a juicy burger or… Anyway. He probably should look for Pidge, if nothing else than to be sure she's eaten something.

He turned the corner and decided to check the lab, since he was closest to there anyway. His suspicions were correct, as he spotted her from across the room, hunched over her laptop with her Green Lion sat nearby. But, as he came closer, he didn't hear the tick-tacking of her keyboard or the click of her mouse. No, as he approached, he found her fast asleep.

"Oh, Pidge." he smiled to himself and placed a hand on her shoulder. His face folded into a frown as he realized she was shaking a bit and felt hot. Of course, she'd been up all night, had little to eat, and hadn't been moving around.

"Pidge? Hey Pidge? Wake up." He said gently and Pidge mumbled something in her sleep, not wanting to give up the peaceful darkness she was in. But, his shaking became too much and she opened her eyes with great annoyance.

"What, Shiro?" she asked, her voice sounding distorted from the stuffy nose. "I'm working here."

"No, you were sleeping. Come on, you've got a cold. Get to bed."

"I don't have a cold!" Pidge countered, but sneezed and sighed. "I'm working on cracking this code."

"The code will be there to crack tomorrow. Come on, if we get attacked, we need everyone in ship shape." Pidge was not amused, but knew Shiro was right. She packed up her stuff and walked with Shiro to her room. She was exhausted, and her back hurt from sleeping all hunched over like that. Though she wouldn't admit it, she was glad Shiro had pulled her away from her desk. She craved sleep like she'd crave a cold glass of water in a hot desert.

"Alright, now rest." Shiro said and took her computer from her. Pidge began to protest, but Shiro nudged her inside her room. "No electronics. You'll just get a headache. Besides, you should just be focusing on sleep. I'll have someone bring you something to eat later, okay?"

Pidge didn't complain and sat down on her bed. "Think there's a way I can get some normal chicken noodle soup around here?"

Shiro laughed. "Not a flying chance in hell." he said as he walked out.

After telling Hunk that Pidge was asleep and making sure Keith hadn't killed himself, Shiro stretched out on the couch in the meeting room with a… coffee? Well, it was what Coran said Alteans drank in the mornings, though it didn't taste like coffee, but it also didn't taste like shit, so that was enough for Shiro.

"Enjoying the covfefe?" Coran asked as he entered. Shiro looked extremely confused. "That, uh, you know in your cup!"

"Oh, coffee." Shiro smiled.

"Sure." Coran shrugged.

"Yes, it's very good, thank you Coran." Shiro said as he took another sip. He finished the cup and stood. "I'd better get to training myself, if I can manage to kick Keith out of there. How's Allura?"

"Good, just recovering but she'll be better than a sprog on a chammelit soon!" Coran replied in a chipper voice. Shiro just nodded, pretending to know what that meant.

"Good. Well, good luck with fixing the warp drive. We'll meet at dinner and discuss our next move." Coran nodded and headed off and Shiro made his way to the kitchen to wash his mug.

He was so close to the training grounds when he heard shouting coming from the living area. "Shiiiiiiro!" Lance shouted, "Keith stole my jacket!"

"You shouldn't leave your shit all over the place!"

"Hey, get your ass back here so I can kill you!"

Shiro sighed and turned himself around as he heard more bangs and shouts. Training would take place later, he supposed.


End file.
